épervier

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French esprevier, which see.

Cognate with Old High German sparwari (whence German Sperber), Middle Dutch sperware (whence Dutch sperwer), Middle Low German sperwere, all meaning “sparrow hawk”. Compare also Italian sparviere and English sparrow hawk.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /e.pɛʁ.vje/

• Audio

  (file)

Fisherman casting an épervier (sense 2)

Noun

épervier m (plural éperviers)

1. sparrow hawk
2. cast net

Derived terms

• chouette épervière
• épervier d’Europe
• épervière boréale

 

Adjective

épervier (feminine épervière, masculine plural éperviers, feminine plural épervières)

1. (relational) sparrow hawk

Further reading

• “épervier”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.